Monthly Archives: September 2013

Cats & dogs

Posted on September 29, 2013 by emjayandthem

Darla’s post about marriage and relationships inspired me to make the observation that Hubbs and I are like a cat & dog together.

I’m like a golden retriever in the relationship – happy, lively, kinda goofy —and he’s the cat. Fussy, jumpy and difficult to please.

He’ll decide if he (we) wants company, He’ll decide if/when/where – whatever.

Every once in a while, like a big ole dog would, I’ll whomp him upside the head (not literally) and settle his fussy self down. Pretty soon he’s purring again.

But, just like cats & dogs, we have a way of getting along and, nearly 22 years later, it’s never been dull.

I stumbled over this old favorite on YouTube yesterday morning and have been humming it ever since.

You ask me if there’ll come a time
When I grow tired of you
Never my love
Never my love

You wonder if this heart of mine
Will lose its desire for you
Never my love
Never my love

What about you? Can you see similarities in your relationship here? How are you the same? How are you different?

related:

Just for the beauty of it

Posted on September 27, 2013 by emjayandthem

“I loved autumn, the one season of the year that God seemed to have put there just for the beauty of it.” ― Lee Maynard

*Please click on the pictures to see the full image and enjoy His artwork.

Autumn colors are arriving

from a recent drive

Just had to stop here and take in the view

It’s Autumn here in Michigan. Apples for sale. Cider. Harvest in full swing. Sunny days with temps hot enough to peel off the layers; nights cool enough to pile them back on.

It’s Autumn. And it’s my favorite.

Categories: Blogging, Faith, Family, Home, Quotes, Seasons, Uncategorized | Tags: Autumn, colors turning, Fall, harvest, Lee Maynard, Michigan | 22 Comments

How good things really are

Posted on September 24, 2013 by emjayandthem

Last night, I spent some time in our spare bedroom, otherwise known as “the workout room.” The one no one has been in lately, especially me.

I moved a few things aside and shook my head at most selections. But then I found it, an old favorite, a Yoga DVD.

My tired and stiff muscles screamed “no.” My head nodded and said “yes.”

30 Minutes later, I felt like a new person. Blood pumping, energized, relaxed and … joyful.

No one else was home so I fixed what I wanted for supper: bliss.

I talked and laughed on the phone with Mom, without interruption.

I puttered around the kitchen and enjoyed the crisp autumn air wafting in through the screens.

And it was then that it hit me,

“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” ― Marianne Williamson

May today delight you as much as this Husky did me (see below)! Have a great day, peeps!

Categories: Animals, Attitude, Faith, Gratitude, Home, Personal, Uncategorized | Tags: Autumn, crisp autumn air, delight, Fall, how good things really are, Husky jumping in the leaves, joy, life, Marianne Williamson, perspective, quotes, relationships | 27 Comments

To everything there is a season

Posted on September 22, 2013 by emjayandthem

Autumn leaves are falling and the colors are turning again.

near Kingsley, MI

The yard down the street

Frankie loved Fall best.

Yesterday was a long day – a day of laughter, a day of tears, a day of sorrow, a day of cheers.

But … there was a time for all of it and this passage was of comfort to me as I woke on this day, the first day of a new season.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Categories: Beauty, Faith, Friendship, Grief, Personal, Seasons, Uncategorized | Tags: autumn leaves, Autumnal Equinox, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, First day of Fall 2013, loss, Lynette, sorrow, to everything there is a season | 24 Comments

Our hearts are thumpin’

Posted on September 18, 2013 by emjayandthem

My friend, Lynette, passed on last night.

I wrote about her recently.

We knew it was coming but that doesn’t make it easier.

We’ll miss her.

Her laughter, the kind that fills a room.

Her helpfulness, always willing to lend a hand and befriend those without one.

We always knew when she arrived to a party, her signature, “Whoop whoop!” gave her away.

Come to think of it, she didn’t just liven up a party, she was the party.

I’ll miss her.

Her warmth. Her hilarity. Her humanity.

The good ones always seem to leave us too soon, don’t they?

So today, I’m grateful for a country drive and the chance to sing along to a favorite song of hers.

Rest in peace, sweet friend.

Hey, where did we go
Days when the rains came?
Down in the hollow
Playing a new game,
Laughing and a-running, hey, hey,
Skipping and a-jumping
In the misty morning fog with
Our, our hearts a-thumping
And you, my brown-eyed girl,

Categories: Attitude, Faith, Family, Friendship, Grief, Uncategorized | Tags: Brown-eyed girl, death, Lynette, misty morning fog, relationships, sweet friend, Van Morrison, whoop whoop | 44 Comments

And they will teach you

Posted on September 16, 2013 by emjayandthem

One night last week, I was out front getting the mail. It’s been about six weeks since our dog Frankie passed away; crossing the street back to my house, the old Golden who lives next door came bounding over for a pet & some loving.

He got his fill and when he was done he stood and looked. He looked at me and then the door to our house. He looked and he looked and then he put his head down and he sighed.

I swear he sighed.

I believe he was waiting for old dog and when the old one didn’t appear, Mr. Golden boy leaned into me and did the only thing he could think to do: he gave me a full body doggie hug and bounded on home.

Don’t you just love that? I do.

And, just for that moment, I felt my Frankie with me sure as the mail I held in my hands.

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you. Speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea tell you. Every one of these knows that the hand of the Lord has done this. The life of every creature and the breath of all people are in God’s hand.” –Job 12:7-10

Categories: Animals, Faith, Family, Grief, Joy, Love, Uncategorized | Tags: Frankie, Job 12:7-10, pets, relationships | 29 Comments

Soul whispers

Posted on September 10, 2013 by emjayandthem

Recently, I had the privilege of filling an open position in the Department.

This is big doings.

No, really.

Why?

Well, historically, there’s been no – and I mean none – movement. People come in … and never leave. That’s not necessarily a good thing, either.

Well, someone’s leaving. Retiring, in fact.

And isn’t that neat? I think so. Something to be celebrated, yes it is.

But…. there remain big shoes to fill.

So … yes it’s a challenge and yet an opportunity.

I set about the task of sorting through the many, many applicants. And it was daunting. Difficult. And … personally, really stressful.

So much talent. So many hopeful faces.

So many.

So many interviews, so many phone calls, so many conversations.

I did my best to listen, to observe, to engage and to take note.

I went to bed thinking about it.

I woke soon after .. still thinking.

I took notes. I paid attention.

But, in the end, here’s the rub (and there’s always one): there’s only one opening.

One.

Not 22.

Not 12.

Not 2.

Just.

One.

And my new hire started yesterday.

I know that, in spite of all the other talented and lovely and capable people I met and talked with, that this one is the one.

And tonight I realized that the feeling I’m experiencing and the sounds I am hearing are simply the echoes of my soul whispering back, “Hey …. thanks for listening.”

“When a great moment knocks on the door of your life, it is often no louder than the beating of your heart, and it is very easy to miss it. ” ― Boris Pasternak

Have you ever experienced a “soul whisper” in a work situation? Tell me, I’d love to hear all about it.